Close to Heaven
by Inanis Incedeco
Summary: Mara and Leliana go on a date to relieve Leliana's stress from being Spymaster.


_Author's Note: Was prompted for me on Tumblr: Skyhold date with Leliana and Mara._

 _To everyone who sends me prompts: Thank you so much, I wish that I could hug each and every one of you personally. I may fill prompts a bit slower for a bit, since I'm working hard on Become the Beast as of right now, so sorry about any inconvenience._

 _If you wish to prompt me with anything, please feel free to leave a review, send me a PM, or search for "greyassassin24" on Tumblr, and go to the Prompts tab._

Leliana groaned in exhaustion as she shrugged off her chainmail armour, slipping off her shirt and almost began into her nightgown before remembering that she had something else to keep her warm in bed. It had been another long night of exhausting work long after midnight, and she was completely ready to crawl into bed beside her wife and collapse.

"Mmmnnnugh." Her wife, Mara Amell, rolled over in their bed, petting the bed beside her. She had already been asleep for several hours. "Leli?" She mumbled. "Where you goin'?"

Leliana giggled. "My love, I'm _coming_ to bed, not leaving." She felt a strong rush of affection at her lover's adorable sleepiness.

Mara rolled onto her back, and pried her eyes open. "Just now?" She rubbed her eyes and sat up. "What time is it, love?"

"I don't know." Leliana shook her head, and sat on the side of the bed beside her lover, and laid down. "Go back to bed, my love."

"You shouldn't work so hard." She murmured as she laid down beside her wife, hugging her closely. It would have sounded like a chastisement if Mara hadn't been so sleepy, but, as it was, it was just adorable.

Leliana kissed Mara's forehead, and drifted off into sleep.

 **The Next Morning**

Leliana awoke to the sounds of peaceful birds chirping and wind blowing through the trees of Skyhold, rain pattering gently on the ceiling above her.

She smiled, and patted the bed beside her to feel the warmth of her wife.

And Mara wasn't there.

Leliana blinked the sleep out of her eyes and sat up. Her Warden wasn't in the room. She stood and pulled on a silk shirt and grey pants. Poking her head out and into the Rookery, she found it completely deserted save for the ravens sitting patiently in their cages. Outside, sheets of rain were coming down onto the grounds of Skyhold, and no one could be seen.

At her desk was a single note.

 _Mon bonheur,_

 _You are working far too hard, so today you're taking a vacation. The Inquisitor has taken care of your agents for the day, and Josie's agreed to hold any letters for you._

 _I was going to take you off to Val Royeaux, but it doesn't look like that rain is going to stop any time soon. Sorry. :(_

 _So I thought we could just stay here, I'll make you a nice lunch and make sure you're taken care of for the day. Meet me in the kitchens when you wake up._

 _Love, your ever-loving wife._

Leliana giggled. "Oh... my angel." She went back into their room, and threw open the closet. If Mara had made sure that there was no work to do today, she would wear something nice. She pulled on a pretty indigo-blue summer dress with a frilly lace cut that reached her ankles, and a pair of black, shiny high-heels.

Finally, she went to her nightstand and pulled out a bottle of Romanée Conti that she had been saving for a special occasion.

If Mara wanted a date, Leliana was going to give her a _date_.

 **In Skyhold's Kitchens**

"Maker... damned... Salmon. Cook... you... stupid... fish."

Leliana heard incoherent grumbling from the kitchens, recognizing her lover's sweet, gentle Ferelden accent. "Mara?"

"In here, Leli!" And indeed, the cute little mage was standing at the kitchen stove, working furiously at a pan, steam carrying out of it and out the open window. She turned and looked over her shoulder. "Hi sweetie!"

"Hello yourself." Leliana giggled, walking up from behind her lover and giving her a kiss on the cheek. "This is such a nice surprise." Her voice was a happy purr. Mara had such a wisdom behind her spontaneity, allowing her to pleasantly surprise everyone around her.

Mara smiled. "You deserve a little day off." She giggled, and turned to see Leliana. "Wow." She made an approving sound. "That dress is absolutely lovely."

"Thank you." Leliana smiled. "I haven't had a chance to wear it yet."

"It's lovely." An angry sizzling came from the pan behind her, and she frantically turned back, flipping it's contents over over. "Sorry love, lunch's giving me a bit of trouble. It'll just be another minute, promise."

Leliana rolled her eyes in affection. Mara was always so worried that she'd disappoint her, as if she could. It didn't matter if it took her all day, so long as it was her that was doing it. "Well, what can I do to help?"

"Oh, no, no." She shook her head emphatically. "This is my gift to you. You just sit down, I'll do the rest." Another pan on the stove began hissing, and she sighed. "Maker's breath." She muttered under her breath. "It's like spinning plates."

"I love cooking." She insisted, wrapping her arms around her wife's waist. "Let me help."

Their eyes met, and they both smiled. "Alright, silly goose." She giggled, putting a kiss on Leliana's cheek. "Why don't you cut the tomatoes while I try and sear these damned Salmon."

"My love, you have to put them on a sheet pan."

"...Oh."

Leliana had to suppress a giggle at her lover's adorableness. "My love, you're not very experienced with cooking, are you?"

Mara shook her head. "The Templars and Tranquil always made our food in the Circle, and you and Alistair always cooked for me during the Blight, and Amaranthine had cooks in it." She looked down, hanging her head. "S-sorry, love. I wanted to do something nice for you, but I'm making a huge mess of it, aren't I?"

Leliana shook her head, and gave her wife a hug. "No, my love. You're doing just fine." She kissed her wife on the cheek. "But it will be all the better if both of us cook together."

"Okay." Her voice was saddened and downcast. "I was hoping I could have a nice romantic meal for you." She shook her head, clearly disappointed.

"And it still will be." Leliana insisted with love in her voice. "Mara, I love you, and this is one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me." She turned her wife's head with two fingers, and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips. "I wouldn't offer if I didn't want to."

Mara smiled. "I love you so much."

"I love you, my angel." She left her lover, and picked the cooking sheets out of the cupboards. "Now, let's get that salmon done."

 **Later...**

Leliana relaxed deeply into her chair, and smiled widely. Dinner had been absolutely lovely, and it tasted better for having known that both her and her lover had done it together. "Oh, my love." She sighed happily, fluttering her eyes closed in bliss. "If you keep this up, I'm going to need new pants."

"It's a good thing you're wearing a dress, then." Mara giggled, piling their dishes off to the side of the table. "Although I'm afraid that you're going to have to change out of those high-heels."

"Why?" Leliana raised an eyebrow.

Mara smiled. "I didn't just plan dinner for you." She winked. "I also enlisted Josephine to plan something else for you."

"Oh?" Now her curiosity was peaked. Whatever could her lover have planned with Josie? "And what, pray tell, is that?"

"We're going dancing!" She gushed with the biggest smile on her face.

"Dancing?" Leliana's eyes shot open at that. "But you hate dancing!"

Mara shook her head. "I'm bad at it, that's not the same as hating it. If you're willing to have a silly mage with two left feet as your partner," She held a hand out to her wife. "Then I'm willing to be yours."

"We don't have to." Leliana insisted, even as she took Mara's hand and stood. "We can do something we'll both enjoy."

"Oh no." Mara guided Leliana towards Skyhold's main hallway. "Josephine went through _way_ too much trouble to organize this for us to bail on her. Besides," She smiled that dizzying smile at Leliana, who was very suddenly left lightheaded. "So long as it's you dancing with me, I'll be in heaven."

Leliana's heart thudded in her chest, and she kicked her shoes off, and Mara giggled. "An Orlesian noblewoman and Inquisition Spymaster?" She teased. "Going barefoot to a ball? Scandalous. Simple Scandalous."

"I won't be the only one." Leliana fixed her wife with that look that she knew would make her lover do anything for her. "The Hero of Ferelden will be too." Mara giggled, and kicked her own slippers off.

"We shall simply have to appal the entire room."

When they entered the main hall of Skyhold, they found the whole room crowded with other dancing couples and filled with music coming from a fine band that was playing near the Inquisitor's throne. They didn't recognize most of the people in the room, likely visiting dignitaries or politicians, but they could just make out Hawke and her little Dalish girl dancing, as well as the Inquisitor and Josephine sitting together off to the side, both of whom smiled at the couple.

Josephine didn't do things halfway.

As they walked onto the dance floor, the musicians began their next song, and Leliana took Mara's hand when it was offered.

"I'm afraid you'll have to play the boy." Mara teased as Leliana began to lead her in the dance, taking careful notice of her feet so she didn't step on her lover.

"It's something I've grown accustomed to since I married you." She winked, and Mara laughed.

"Oh, you will pay for that." She threatened with a cheeky smile.

Leliana laughed. "Promises, promises, my dear Warden."

With that tease, Mara took a sudden and unexpected initiative, throwing an arm around her lover's waist and raised a leg up and onto Leliana's hip. The whole room shared a collective gasp, except Hawke who cheered loudly, and the two lover's shared a knowing smile.

Now everyone was watching the two of them, but with Leliana guiding her, she had no fear. The music picked up, and Leliana guided her in the faster and faster rhythms. All eyes were on the Warden and her Nightingale.

"You are doing excellent for ' _someone with two left feet_ '." Leliana's voice was soft, sweet and encouraging, and Mara beamed.

"Maybe I should learn to be a dancer instead of a chef."

As the music reached it's peak, Leliana grasped, Mara's waist, hiked Mara's leg onto her hip, and bent her back in a salacious movement, and Leliana leaned in and gave her a searing kiss on the lips. The whole room gasped again, Josephine, the Inquisitor, Hawke and Merrill all cheered in delight.

Leliana lifted her Warden again, and spun her around. Mara had the biggest smile on her face, and offered her hand out to her wife, who gave it a kiss. "You are lovely."

"So are you." Mara lidded her eyes in adoration and happiness.

"I really needed this." Leliana said as she pulled her Warden back, hugging her tightly. "Thank you so much, my angel. This was such a quiet day."

"Quiet!" She teased with a smile. "Or you might jinx it." She kissed her lover. "Now, how about another dance?"


End file.
